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The Great Pretender
The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission that Changed our Understanding of Madness | Susannah Cahalan
For centuries, doctors have struggled to define mental illness - how do you diagnose it, how do you treat it, how do you even know what it is? In search of an answer, in the 1970s a Stanford psychologist named David Rosenhan and seven other people - sane, normal, well-adjusted members of society - went undercover into asylums around America to test the legitimacy of psychiatry's labels. Forced to remain inside until they'd 'proven' themselves sane, all eight emerged with alarming diagnoses and even more troubling stories of their treatment. Rosenhan's watershed study broke open the field of psychiatry, closing down institutions and changing mental health diagnosis forever. But, as Cahalan's explosive new research shows, very little in this saga is exactly as it seems. What really happened behind those closed asylum doors, and what does it mean for our understanding of mental illness today?
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ElizaMarie
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Pickpick

This book raised a lot of questions and self reflection. And unfortunately the world continues to have a huge stigma attached to individuals with mental health diagnosis.

Spent most of the day yesterday reading outside then finished it up this morning.

AmyG Awwwwwww ❤️ 2y
dabbe Da sweetest sunnyest pup! 💙🐾💚 2y
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ElizaMarie
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As a health care worker this excites me… but as a member of the general public… scares me a little.

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ElizaMarie
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💡💡💡💡

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ElizaMarie
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Started this one today but.. I was so relaxed I took a nap instead :)

Laying out on a hammock with the fire, a blanket and Maverick :)

dabbe Hello, Marvelous Maverick! 💙🐾💚 2y
21 likes1 comment
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Decalino
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Pickpick

In a pivotal 1973 study, Dr David Rosenhan stated that healthy people posing as patients were falsely diagnosed as schizophrenic by a system that couldn't tell the difference. His work rocked the world of psychiatry, but as Susannah Cahalan's investigation shows, the truth is complicated. The author's own brush with psychosis informs this thoughtful, compassionate look at Rosenhan's work and its role in society's relationship with mental illness.

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Reviewsbylola
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Mehso-so

First off, I‘m a bit surprised this was a #botm selection. Although I bought it through them, I ended up listening to this one on audio. Cahalan clearly did her research, and this is a book that will make you think long and hard about the current (and past) state of our psychiatric hospitals, as well as the methods used to diagnose mental illness. That said, the narrow focus wasn‘t immediately clear and Cahalan‘s purpose for writing the book murky

73 likes1 comment
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8little_paws
Pickpick

I binge read this in a day. Well researched, and i think it's a wonderful companion book to Hidden Valley Road. It's really about how research is conducted, and the limits of psychiatry.

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Sargar114
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Pickpick

Girl did her homework! It felt like there was a bunch left, but there was 100 pages of notes and references. This was a fascinating read. Callahan takes you along on her roller coaster of an investigation of David Rosenhan‘s essay “On Being Sane in Insane Places.” In doing so you get a history of the American mental health care system in the 20th century. Would recommend if you have interest in the subject. I plan on reading her memoir too.

Sargar114 @TheAromaofBooks this was my September #bookspin 4y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
15 likes2 comments
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Annie1215
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#Two4TuesdayGiveaway @TheSpineView thanks for the tag! @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick

1. I keep them all - they‘re my prized possessions!Though I have a box of them living with my parents right now for storage and it‘s super sad.

2. Tagged: The Great Pretender

Play along: @Books4Ever @Mishu94 @BookDragonNotWorm

Mishu94 Thank you for the tag! ❤️ 4y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick This book sounds interesting! 4y
TheSpineView Thanks for playing and good luck! 4y
47 likes3 comments
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Nitpickyabouttrains
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Pickpick

A deep look into mental health, hows it‘s been viewed and treated and a specific study about people who pretended to be ill and entered hospitals.

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Cinfhen
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After finishing and loving Hidden Valley Road I thought I‘d read this #BOTMbacklog 🤓I enjoyed Brain on Fire so I‘m hoping Susannah Cahalan delivers again. I‘ve seen mixed reviews, so I‘m tamping my expectations😉

marleed Oh I love discovering a new-to-me author and then working backward in their catalog! 4y
erzascarletbookgasm Look forward to your thoughts on this, I enjoyed Brain On Fire, too. 4y
britt_brooke I love Brain of Fire, but didn‘t care for this one. Curious to hear what you think! 4y
Scochrane26 I didn‘t like this one much, as a mental health counselor. 4y
Cinfhen I read about 30 pages / we‘ll see @britt_brooke @Scochrane26 I‘m not that swept up yet 4y
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bookandcat
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Pickpick

#readyoursign Sagittarius - sophisticated book, ruling number in pub date: 9-->November 2019)

Interesting nonfiction about the psychiatric pseudopatient study in the 1970s and tracking down the anonymous patients years later to corroborate the paper that came out of it. Readable enough but probably more interesting if you are interested in mental health. 4 stars.

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rather_be_reading
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Lunch time

Bookish_Viking I do the same during every lunch break. Though I work in a feed mill, gotta mind the dust. 4y
ShananigansReads I‘ve enjoyed many a work day lunch this way. If for nothing else but to walk away from my computer screen for a bit. (edited) 4y
rather_be_reading @Bookjunkie57 yes i know wat u mean abt gttng away from the computer! 4y
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rather_be_reading
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Finally have a few mins to read before I start dinner

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rather_be_reading
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Dcueto Ooooo this looks good 4y
MandyC Great book! 4y
rather_be_reading @Dcueto some of it is technical history but needed to get the full pic. pretty good so far 4y
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Nikki_E
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Starting this today.

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tome.fries
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Pickpick

My last read of 2019. A powerful narrative about the complexities of mental illness and the dysfunction of mental institutions.

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keepingupwiththepenguins
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Pickpick

The Great Pretender is a clear-eyed examination of a turning point in the history of mental health care, in the style of Susan Orlean or Jon Ronson. Cahalan has done the legwork, chasing shadows and ghosts through the annals of the asylums, trying to establish the veracity of a pivotal study that changed psychiatry forever. Full review for subscribers at http://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/new-releases/ #NonFiction

LeeRHarry I‘ve stacked this, looks fascinating. 5y
charl08 I think I was more on the fence than you! But still worth the read, for sure. 5y
Hooked_on_books This cover is so much better than the US one! 5y
keepingupwiththepenguins @Hooked_on_books Oooh, I've not seen the US one? But I do love this one, the colours are gorgeous! 5y
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everlocalwest
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Pickpick

A lot of middling to outright bad reviews here and I get the criticism but I do think The Great Pretender is worth the read. Cahalan is a competent journalist piecing together sources and hunting down leads, but mostly I think you should read this and think about how you engage with mental health (within yourself, your loved ones, and the wider world) and how you approach academia and expert opinions. Embrace both more empathy and more skepticism.

everlocalwest Also, October (the cat) would like for you to know that cats do not cause schizophrenia. Though her late night zoomies make me more than a little insane. 5y
Cinfhen So happy to see a positive review. All the negative reviews had me avoiding this book from my TBR! 5y
everlocalwest @Cinfhen The reviews are right about the author lacking a central thesis. But she's grasping at something currently incomprehensible, which ends up being the central thesis. I definitely do not think she is anti psychiatry, more that she believes the field needs some shaking up. I recently read Michael Pollan's new book and the two together made me feel 🤯. 5y
Cinfhen Thanks for the other recommendation/ I‘ll look into it 5y
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BekaReid
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Opening line: "The story that follows is true. It is also not true." I am intrigued.

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shanaqui
Pickpick

Finished this while waiting in A&E with my wife (she's fine). I found Cahalan's conclusion that Rosenhan was right despite the fakery an interesting nuance, and think I agree.

I find the reviews from mental health professionals who claim Rosenhan had no impact and this book is irrelevant to be worrying. I know about the study and I'm no professional. It helped shape the DSM. It's still taught in schools as true. Of course it's still relevant.

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shanaqui
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A little haul today since I was in town to get my hair cut. Susannah Cahalan's book was my objective, after reading the review in Nature and the piece in New Scientist, but THE FIVE and WHEN THE DOGS DON'T BARK were on buy-one-get-one-half-price, and highly recommended by the bookseller. 😁

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KimM
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Mehso-so

I read the author's first book, Brain on Fire, for book club and found her research and presentation excellent so requested this new novel from NetGalley. This book was also well researched and well-presented if a bit dry at times. Its based on the Rosenhan experiment and I would recommend it to anyone with a sincere interest in psychology and mental illness as well as the mental health profession.

ARC provided by #NetGalley

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MyNamesParadise
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Mehso-so

I guess I should‘ve realized from the title, but I didn‘t realize I‘d go through 8 discs (I listened to the audio) of every aspect of this study, only to have the author say she believes large portions of the study were faked. The author definitely leans towards the anti-psychiatry movement & bc of personal reasons I found that irritating, although good points are made. It was well researched and the narrator did a good job.

Scochrane26 This one was very frustrating for me. 5y
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Jilly6183
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Mehso-so

I found this book interesting and informative on a personal level. I have an aunt who was diagnosed with borderline schizophrenia/bipolar disorder as a teen in the 70s. Throughout her life, doctors doped her up with medications that serious unforeseen consequences, including intestinal issues that ultimately led to her death. But this book was pretty dry and was mainly just a list of how psychiatry has evolved, for better or worse, without ⬇️

Jilly6183 offering solutions or even theories on where we're going next. As she herself acknowledges at the end, this is likely because she is a layperson. But it was a lot to read and feel left hanging when it was done. 5y
Jeannineth I read it too and was disappointed. I felt the synopsis was misleading. Although I thought the history of care for schizophrenia was fascinating, it wasn‘t what I was expecting. 5y
Jilly6183 @Jeannineth I completely agree that the synopsis was misleading 5y
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charl08
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...my typical price for this kind of thing is $550.

#thankyouNHS

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charl08
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I'm reading the wrong book.
I do not want to be reading about what she was listening to when she went to do an interview. Get back to the story about the mental health study!
(Yup, I am being unreasonable and grumpy.)

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charl08
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Hard to believe this was with the last fifty years.

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rather_be_reading
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This is a great deal! This one came out super recent !

DieAReader Just bought it before Christmas! I‘m hoping to dig my teeth into it soon! #LitsyAtoZ 📚🎶 5y
Scochrane26 It‘s not that good, IMO. A few other Littens didn‘t like it either. (edited) 5y
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Chelsea.Poole
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Mehso-so

I've been blowing through my #audiobook titles even faster than usual these days during my walks on my lunch break at work. I am trying to work in more activity in my day and audios certainly help! (A picture of the adorable mini park I walk through in town)
This book though...I wouldn't recommend it, although it's not terrible. I love anything about psychology, but this one seemed too disjointed for my taste.

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Jeannineth
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1973
Locked in a mental hospital and have to prove sanity
What is scarier?

DogMomIrene You have my attention! I can‘t even imagine... Are you reading this right now or is this a juicy TBR? 5y
Jeannineth I‘m currently reading it. It‘s starting with a history of mental illness and psychiatry. It‘s very interesting and the author also wrote Brain on Fire, which is a beloved book. 5y
Jeannineth Also my daughter has been admitted to a mental hospital in the past. 5y
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crazyspine
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Pickpick

This has a lot of not so great reviews. I agree that Brain on Fire was much more interesting and an easier read because it actually happened to her and read like a narrative. The Great Pretender can be dense at times with research and footnotes. However, I still found it a fascinating story that made me question our mental health system and who/ what symptoms gets labeled as ill.

Chelleo Hi!! Can you email me your mailing address at Chelleo.Michelle@gmail.com? 5y
Jilly6183 Have you read the Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson? A lot of it centers on a guy who claims he faked crazy to avoid jail time in favor of a mental hospital, but now can‘t get out, because how do you convince people you are not or never were crazy? The more you protest, the less they believe you. 5y
crazyspine @ chelleo hi! I've sent it to you twice is it going to your spam? 5y
crazyspine No I haven't I'll add it to my Mount TBR 5y
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Chelsea.Poole
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Current #audiobook which I'm feeling a bit meh about. Definitely enjoyed Brain on Fire but this isn't on par with that one so far. We shall see 🤷🏼‍♀️

Hooked_on_books I definitely liked her first book better. Parts of this were really interesting, but I felt she lacked a central thesis here, which made the book a bit of a muddle. 5y
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crazyspine
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Nervous because this one has some not so great reviews on here, but I really loved Brain on Fire. I hope this does not disappoint.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Love the look 👀🤣 5y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Like “I know you don‘t think you‘re going to read that book and not pet me!” 🤣🤣 5y
erzascarletbookgasm Aww look at that expression 👀💙😆 5y
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j9brown
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Pickpick

This was really eye-opening and interesting and informative. The author did go off on some long tangents that made things a little confusing. But overall a solid read.

Didn't do so hot for #24b42020 (the whole weekend was a bust) but I'll post my ten hours anyway for the points!
#wintergames #readnosedreindeer #impulseread @StayCurious @Clwojick

Reviewsbylola This one is on my TBR. 5y
Andrew65 A great time, well done. 👏👏👏😊🥳🙌🍾🥂 5y
StayCurious Life does get in the way, doesn't it! Still, 10 hours is 100 points! +11 for the impulse read 5y
36 likes3 comments
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Scochrane26
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Mehso-so

As a mental health provider, I had some thoughts about this book. First, she is focusing on the adult persistently mentally ill population, which I don‘t work with much. I do deal a lot with psychiatrists & hospitals for kids/teens. 1) I actually liked some of the history about the mental health field. A lot I didn‘t know, some I had learned years ago, some I learned from The Psychopath Test. 2) I understand concerns about psych meds & have 👇

Scochrane26 those concerns about several clients, esp ones coming out of the hospital on strong meds. 3) I understand the author thinks this one study is the linchpin of the current state of mental health, but I had never heard of it. Is it really worth a whole book? 4) the book, esp in the end, loses focus & would have been better with a tighter focus 5) I was really annoyed when she emphasized that psych needs to build relationships w/ clients. Does she not 5y
Scochrane26 realize we spend countless hours hearing & learning about building rapport? In my area, therapists build relationships, teach skills, diagnose, then the psychiatrist looks at our charts & does meds. They aren‘t going to do as much bonding, they don‘t have as much time. Also, she contradicts herself—there‘s a shortage of psychiatrists & we need more but she doesn‘t think people should be on meds. 🙄 5y
Scochrane26 6) I do agree that prison has mentally ill people. I don‘t agree that professionals don‘t care about them. 7) in general, I think she places too much importance on a very old study & tries to be an expert when she‘s not in the field. Also, we do use evidence-based therapies. #wintergames #thefilthyanimals #TBRRead @rather_be_reading (edited) 5y
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Scochrane26

“In fact, the horror show that is our mental health care system today makes Rosenhan‘s critiques seem obsolete. ‘It shows just how quaint the study is‘”.
Haven‘t had much of an issue with this book yet, but this sentence struck me the wrong way. What makes the author an expert in the mental health field? Why is she calling the system a “horror show”? Why did she spend half a book talking about a study that is now “obsolete” & “quaint”? 🤦‍♀️

ljuliel I haven‘t read the book, but in her picture , she doesn‘t look very old. (34, I just looked it up). Back in the 70s, part of our nurses‘ training was working in the mental health area. My gosh, it still gives me nightmares. Those people were treated like animals. A human zoo. 5y
Megabooks She has a bone to pick with the mental health system so she got a publisher to pay her to write about a 50 year old study that isn‘t all that relevant today. I skipped this, and if you want up-to-date references on mental healthcare, try 5y
Scochrane26 Well, I know there‘s issues in the mental health field, I work in it, & I don‘t work much with adults. She‘s talking more about chronically ill adults. I would be less irritated if the statement was coming from a mental health professional. And she only talks about psychiatrists & psychologists (I guess us social workers, counselors, lmfts, etc don‘t matter). @megabooks @ljuliel (edited) 5y
Scochrane26 @Megabooks I had seen this on Litsy & put it on hold, then saw your comments about it. I decided I was still curious enough to read it. I like parts of it but probably won‘t like where she‘s going with it. I will definitely check out The Collected Schizophrenias, it has a lot of good reviews. 5y
9 likes4 comments
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Scochrane26
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I had read the intro a few days ago, but now I‘ve really started this, with not much time left on the loan. Hoping I‘ll finish it tomorrow because I‘m not sure I want to end the year with this one. Last night, I was up to 9 hrs 40 min for #24b42020. @Andrew65 @jb72 @TheReadingMermaid

Andrew65 I have similar feelings about the books I am trying to finish. Good luck. 5y
20 likes1 comment
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j9brown
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I was in the mood for some nonfiction, so I'm starting The Great Pretender and hoping to finish it by 2020 and score some hours for #24b42020 😁
#wintergames #readnosedreindeer @StayCurious @Clwojick

Texreader Love that cup!! 5y
Tamra @Texreader ditto! 5y
Nute Very cute mug! 5y
StayCurious This is a great pic! +1 5y
33 likes4 comments
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britt_brooke
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Panpan

⭐️⭐️ Cahalan questions the validity of David Rosenhan‘s undercover psychiatric study. I‘m skeptical of this book‘s purpose. It just seems like a platform to further shout her disdain for psychiatry. Perhaps this could‘ve been a worthwhile article, but as a book, it lacks the sagacity of Brain on Fire.

Chab256 This was my BOTM pick last month. Thinking of starting it tonight... 5y
Suet624 Thanks for taking one for the team. 5y
britt_brooke @Chab256 I hope you like it more than I did. 🤞🏻 I really loved her memoir. 5y
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britt_brooke @Suet624 😆💁🏼‍♀️😙 5y
Chab256 @britt_brooke I didn't read Brain on Fire...I did see the movie tho... 5y
britt_brooke @Chab256 I haven‘t seen the movie yet. How was it? 5y
Scochrane26 I have this on hold since it‘s been making the rounds on litsy. Since I work in the social work field, this one should be interesting. 5y
Megabooks What I was wondering is why is she writing about an experiment that took place 40 years ago. I didn‘t like Brain on Fire, I skipped this, honestly I think this essay collection is much more worthy of attention 5y
britt_brooke @Scochrane26 Curious to see what you think, given your professional experience. 5y
britt_brooke @Megabooks Exactly!! It was so long ago and feels irrelevant now, tbh. Thanks for reminding me about The Collected Schizophrenias! I first heard about it on Reading Women, but forgot to stack it. Sounds fascinating! 5y
68 likes3 stack adds10 comments
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abookishbutterfly
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NOVEMBER WRAP UP ~ I‘m working on my November wrap up video but in the meantime, let‘s talk about our favorite reads of November. What did you enjoy the most last month? I finished 9 books (two ebooks not pictured) and my top favorites were Strange Planet and The Great Pretender. But I really did enjoy everything, with the exception of one of the ebooks!

TheAromaofBooks I read a lot of books I liked, but none I really loved, if that makes sense. 5y
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abookishbutterfly
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Pickpick


I really enjoyed The Great Pretender. The material was fascinating and I am a fan of this type of factual delivery in non-fiction.

Full review here: https://www.facebook.com/262384764521804/posts/382180872542192?d=n&sfns=mo

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MidnightBookGirl
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Pickpick

#NFNov
A great look at a study conducted on undercover psychiatric facilities, with mentions of the original undercover pioneer, Nellie Bly. Paired the audiobook and crafting with Brazen Cab Sauv, which features Bly on the label. Not as good as Callahan's Brain on Fire, but still a very thought provoking read on what we know and don't know about mental illness.

charl08 I want to read this (great review! ) but not out in the UK until January 🤷‍♀️ 5y
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MidnightBookGirl
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So I did half a book tree and painted and taped the other half. I'm not doing any cooking or baking for Thanksgiving, so this is satisfying my need to create. Also, my need to listen to audiobooks.

Ivar07 Omg 😮.. you are ruining the book Madam. 5y
Clare-Dragonfly @Ivar07 I hope you‘re being sarcastic! Otherwise that‘s quite a rude thing to say! 5y
Ivar07 I am sorry if you felt bad. But here in India we treat books as medium of education and hence once read they are usually passed on to other people so that she/he can also read it. This serves two purposes: saves resources (trees) and money also. Hence, it may seems nice to make a design out of a book, but actually it's waste of resources. Pardon me if my words hurt you. 5y
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MidnightBookGirl @lvar07 lol, it's okay, it's an old arc. I like to think of it as giving books a new life.
@Clare-Dragonfly ❤
5y
Clare-Dragonfly ❤️ It‘s a lovely book tree! 5y
MidnightBookGirl @lvar07 and by arc, I mean it's an advanced reader's copy that the publisher sent to me (I work in a bookstore). Arcs are not the finished book, and can't be sold, and the paper and binding tend to be a much lesser quality- they aren't meant to last the test of time. 5y
fakesteph Make me one! 😘😘 5y
MidnightBookGirl @fakesteph let's do a Litsy craft night! 5y
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MidnightBookGirl
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My book tree is coming along! And it's a great project to do while listening to audiobooks!

Tamra I did this as a kid - trees and Santa & Mrs. Claus. So fun!! We used Readers Digest books. 😂 5y
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Chab256
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Waking up with a new nonfiction selection on this snowy, COLD (13° in NY) morning. I decided to rejoin Book of the Month Club and got it for free...I thought the "To be continued" book mark they included this month was oddly appropriate upon rejoining. ?
#BookHaul
#BOTM
#NFNovember

Sace 😂 They send a bookmark every month. I almost wish they wouldn't. I'm a jerk like that. 5y
31 likes1 comment
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BookishMarginalia
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#BOTM in the house!

AutumnRLS That's a great month! 5y
Gissy I wish they could mail here!😭 5y
GypsyKat I recently read The Giver of Stars and really enjoyed it! 5y
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rather_be_reading
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Happy pub day!

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abookishbutterfly
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Happy Publication Day to The Great Pretender by Susannah Cahalan! Have you gotten yourself a copy of this book yet? It‘s perfect for Non-fiction November and explores an extremely intriguing topic! I loved Susannah Cahalan‘s previous book, Brain on Fire, and I am looking forward to sinking my teeth into this one. Thank you Grand Central Publishing for gifting me with a finished copy of this amazing book!

Scochrane26 I definitely should read this since I‘m a therapist. 5y
abookishbutterfly @Scochrane26 Yes, definitely. Would love to see your thoughts on it when you do read it! 5y
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katlyn447
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This one is already giving me a lot to think about, and I'm really interested to learn more about "On Being Sane in Insane Places." Unfortunately, as a field, I think we still have a long way to go. ?